On-chip randomness generation

ABSTRACT

An on-chip true noise generator including an embedded noise source with a low-voltage, high-noise zener diode(s), and an in-situ close-loop zener diode power control circuit. The present invention proposes the use of heavily doped polysilicon and silicon p-n diode(s) structures to minimize the breakdown voltage, increasing noise level and improving reliability. The present invention also proposes an in-situ close-loop zener diode control circuit to safe-guard the zener diode from catastrophic burn-out.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to random number generation. More specifically, the present invention relates to generating random noise/numbers embedded in a semiconductor chip with a reduced operating voltage.

Good cryptography requires good random numbers. Almost all cryptographic protocols require the generation and use of secret values that must be unknown to attackers. For example, random number generators are required to generate public/private key pairs for asymmetric (public key) algorithms including RSA, DSA, and Diffie-Hellman. Keys for symmetric and hybrid cryptosystems are also generated randomly. RNGs are also used to create challenges, nonces (salts), padding bytes, and blinding values. The one time pad—the only provably-secure encryption system—uses as much key material as cipher text and requires that the keystream be generated from a truly random process.

Generating real random numbers has become increasingly vital to information securities, particularly for recent developments in cloud computing, because of its unpredictable pattern suited for the encryption security application. Thus, random number generators have been widely employed from large stationary servers to small mobile devices. However, traditional pseudo-random numbers generated by digital circuits no longer meet the security requirements due to the increasing availability of powerful deciphering computing systems.

It is well known that a zener diode or an avalanche PN junction is a commonly used as the white noise source in discrete circuits. However, at least two challenges must be overcome for the noise source to be implemented in the integrated circuits. First, the breakdown voltage of a discrete zener is quite high, typically about 6V, which is much higher than the maximum operation voltage of the advanced technologies. Second, when the diode is operated in the avalanche mode close to the breakdown condition, the current-voltage curve is very steep. If the voltage is too low, the diode may not enter the avalanche mode. If the voltage is too high, the current becomes very large and the diode could be damaged by breakdown. Although the immediate solution for the discrete zener diode is to enlarge the diode size, it is not feasible in integrated circuits because of the parasitic capacitance concern that will deteriorate circuit performance, cost considerations and reliability concerns.

In prior random noise/number generators, the noise sources are always presented as a block and require external physical noise sources for the circuits. Some noise generators rely on the noise based on physical phenomenon like the thermal noise of resistors.

It is known in the art that a zener diode is a very strong noise source due to the physical nature of its avalanche phenomenon close to the breakdown condition. However, the zener voltage of conventional zener diodes used for random noise generation is about 6V, which exceeds the operation voltage of typical advanced CMOS technologies, for example 1V-2.5V. As zener diodes are p-n junction diodes, increasing p-n junction doping level and abruptness will theoretically result in lower breakdown voltages.

Differential noise pair circuits have been explored previously to cancel out the common cause of variability, such as temperature fluctuation, in order to achieve true white noise sources. Previously used circuits employ one differential circuit for two noise generating blocks. However, they use amplifier circuits in each noise generating block which will distort the noise spectrum because of the limited bandwidth of the amplifiers. Other circuits employ differential circuits on two sources of random noise and then amplify the resulting noise to the level required by voltage comparator. The main drawback of this approach is that the required gain level of amplification is very high (several orders of magnitude) and the resulting reduction in the bandwidth of the amplifier (note that because the product of the gain and the bandwidth of an amplifier is about constant). Such reduction in amplifier bandwidth increases the signal correlation and reduces the randomness of the generated noise.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides solutions including a Noise Generating Unit (NGU) comprising a highly doped diode to make a low breakdown voltage surface zener diode and an automatic avalanche current control loop, allowing the entire noise source to be embedded into and compatible with other random noise generator circuits. Further, the present invention will utilize the high noise signal of the abovementioned NGU and construct a Stochastic Noise Amplification apparatus comprising multi-NGU structures that is capable of not only neutralizing effects of common causes of variability (such as local thermal effects), but also of naturally amplifying the magnitude of noise to the level where only minimal gain of amplification is needed, if at all. The Stochastic Noise Amplification apparatus allows the output noise level to be amplified by a factor of 1.414 (square root of 2) when two identical NGU's pass through one differential amplifier. If the noise level is amplified by multiple stages, n, the noise level can be increased by the factor of 1.414^(n), while keeping the same total magnitude of amplification.

The present invention provides a true noise generator including a low breakdown voltage surface zener diode, an automatic avalanche current control loop, an algorithm for automatic voltage regulation, and an apparatus to increase noise level with multiple differential amplification stages. The present invention concerns designing an on-chip true noise generator including an embedded noise source with a low-voltage, high-noise zener diode(s), and an in-situ close-loop zener diode power control circuit for optimization between performance and reliability. In order to reduce operating voltage so that it can be used in the ASIC library, the present invention proposes the use of heavily doped polysilicon and silicon p-n diode(s) structures for a surface zener diode that minimizes the breakdown voltage, increase noise level and improves reliability. The present invention also proposes an in-situ close-loop zener diode control circuit to optimize performance while also safe-guard the zener diode from catastrophic burn-out. The present invention further proposes an algorithm or methodology to teach the procedure for optimizing between the noise generating performance and the reliability of the zener diode. Furthermore, the present invention also proposes a Stochastic Noise Amplification apparatus to amplify the noise level and at the same time neutralize effects of common causes of variability (such as local thermal effects).

The present invention forms an on-chip physical noise source for random noise generation, which can be integrated and fabricated in any standard CMOS or BiCMOS circuits. Furthermore, the present invention embeds a noise source having control and protection circuits which facilitate stable noise output and long operating lifetime. The present invention also generates white noises directly from one pair of differential embedded noise sources. Moreover, the present invention generates true random noise from multiple parallel pairs of signal noise amplification.

In a first aspect of the invention, there is an on-chip semiconductor structure forming a low breakdown voltage surface zener diode with either single- or multi-finger configuration as the embedded noise source.

In a second aspect of the invention, there is a an automatic avalanche current control loop to regulate the supply voltage for the low breakdown surface zener diode for optimizing between noise generating performance and device reliability.

In a third aspect of the invention, there is a methodology to conduct supply voltage regulation for automatic avalanche current control in order to optimize the performance and reliability of the noise generating source.

In a fourth aspect of the invention, there is a stochastic noise amplification apparatus with paired noise generating source to amplify the noise level and at the same time neutralize the effects of common causes of variability.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features and elements of the present invention are set forth with respect to the appended claims and illustrated in the drawings.

FIG. 1A illustrates top view of a heavily doped polysilicon and silicon p-n zener diode.

FIG. 1B illustrates a cross section of a heavily doped polysilicon and silicon p-n zener diode.

FIG. 2 illustrates the voltage characteristics of a heavily doped polysilicon and silicon p-n zener.

FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of a noise generating unit or NGU.

FIG. 4 illustrates a preferred embodiment of an adjustable voltage source according to aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates the circuit of a current probe according to aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates a current monitor according to aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates a first embodiment of a stochastic noise amplification apparatus to increase the noise source according to aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 8 illustrates a second embodiment of a stochastic noise amplification apparatus to increase the noise source according to aspects of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention provides a true noise generator including a differential zener diode pair and a stochastic noise amplifier. The present invention concerns designing an on-chip true noise generator including an embedded noise source with a low-voltage, high-noise zener diode(s), and an in-situ close-loop zener diode current control circuit. In order to reduce operating voltage so that it can be used in the ASIC library, the present invention proposes the use of heavily doped polysilicon and silicon p-n diode(s) structures to minimize the breakdown voltage, increasing noise level and improving reliability. The present invention also proposes an in-situ close-loop zener diode current control circuit to safe-guard the zener diode from catastrophic burn-out.

The present invention forms an on-chip physical noise source for random noise generation, which can be integrated and fabricated in any standard CMOS or BiCMOS circuits. Furthermore, the present invention embeds a noise source having control and protection circuits which facilitate stable noise output and long operating lifetime. The present invention also generates white noises directly from one pair of differential embedded noise sources. Moreover, the present invention generates true random noise from multiple stage signal noise amplification.

The following describes embodiments of the present invention with reference to the drawings. The embodiments are illustrations of the invention, which can be embodied in various forms. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below, rather representative for teaching one skilled in the art how to make and use it. Some aspects of the drawings repeat from one drawing to the next. The aspects retain their same numbering from their first appearance throughout each of the preceding drawings.

FIG. 1A illustrates top view of a heavily doped polysilicon and silicon p-n zener diode 300 fabricated on a substrate 310. Zener diode 300, is formed on a substrate 310 and comprises a heavily doped silicon layer 320 (e.g. heavily P-type doped), with a heavily doped (e.g. heavily N-type doped) polysilicon layer 330 periodically formed on the silicon layer 320. The zener diode 300 is a surface diode, which is well known to be noisier than typical buried zener diode. The low breakdown voltage of the p-n junction is due to the heavily doped polysilicon widely employed in the polysilicon emitter of bipolar transistors in recent BiCMOS technologies. The proposed low breakdown voltage surface zener diode 300 has a PN junction on the primary surface of a P-doped silicon substrate 320, where the diode is formed between a heavily P-doped (>10¹⁸ cm⁻³) silicon layer 320 on the surface and a heavily N-doped (>10¹⁸ cm ⁻³) polysilicon feature 330 on the surface of the silicon layer 320. The P and N region are both heavily doped in order to lower the breakdown voltage for the application. Both the silicon layer 320 and the heavily N-doped polysilicon (poly) layer 330 have silicide contacts 340.

FIG. 1B illustrates a cross section of a heavily doped polysilicon and silicon p-n zener diode 300. The cross section is from sections X to X′ of FIG. 1A. As shown the N-doped polysilicon layer 330 is located above and in contact with the silicon layer 320. Silicon layer 320 is heavily doped with p-type material such as boron (B). N Poly layer 330 is heavily doped with n-type materials such as arsenic (As). A spacer 350 is located around N-doped poly layer 330. The spacer 350 may be a protective silicon oxide or nitride spacer 350 and may be formed to protect the sidewall of the raised polysilicon feature 330 and to further increase noise. Silicide regions (340) (such as Ti silicide, Co silicide, etc.) are formed to provide electrical contacts for anode (+) and cathode (−). Note that each discrete surface zener diode comprises a pair of anode/cathode, and it can also be contemplated that a “multi-finger” structure with multiple discrete diodes formed together to increase current and noise level, as shown in FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2 illustrates the voltage characteristics of a heavily doped polysilicon and silicon p-n zener. The y axis illustrates the current flow through zener diode 300 and the x axis illustrates the voltage across the zener diode 300. As can be seen from the graph the avalanche range of the zener diode 300 is approximately 1.5 volts before reaching the breakdown condition. The inventors have determined that by operating the zener diode 300 in the avalanche range close to breakdown condition, it will produce a noise signal upon the dc voltage across the zener diode 300. The inventors have also determined that by maintaining a current range across the zener diode 300 in the range of 100 to 300 nAmps, the zener diode will stay in the avalanche range. As can be seen the avalanche range is well within the operating voltages of a modern semiconductor.

The block diagram shown in FIG. 3 illustrates a Noise Generating Unit 10 (NGU) including an adjustable voltage source 100, a current probe 200, a zener diode 300 and a current monitor 400. The NGU 10 operates to control the voltage across the zener diode 300 and ensures that the zener diode 300 is only biased at the avalanche current range discussed above. When the zener diode 300 is placed in the avalanche region before the breakdown occurs, the zener diode 300 introduces significantly higher noise signal onto the voltage. The close-loop control system avoids the catastrophic failure normally seen in a single voltage controlled noise sources because of possible thermal run-away if the device is controlled by voltage when temperature rises. The voltage at the input to the zener diode is provided to a capacitor C₁ which provides the output noise signal Vnoise for NGU 10.

FIG. 4 shows a preferred embodiment of the adjustable voltage source 100. Operational amplifier 110 and resistors 106,108, 112 and 114 form a voltage adder. Resistors 112 and 114 may have the same resistance and resistors 106 and 108 may have the same resistance such that the output voltage is V_supply=2*(V₀+V₁). Wherein V₀ is a fixed voltage, which is selected such that 2V₀ does not cause breakdown in zener diode 300. V₁ is an adjustable voltage, which is directly related to the current through zener diode 300. V₁ is the output voltage of digital to analog converter (DAC) 104. The input of DAC 104 is the output of counter 102; thus V₁ is determined by the content of counter 102. Counter 102 operates in the increment or decrement mode when a rising edge of logic low to logic high is applied to the input of either increase INC or decrease DEC. The content of counter 102 is increased by one when a rising edge of logic high is applied to the input of increase INC. When a rising edge of logic high is applied to the input of decrease DEC, the content of counter 102 is decreased by one. Operational amplifier 110 should have the capability to drive the avalanche current of the zener diode 300. As an avalanche current has quite a steep slope versus the voltage applied on the zener diode 300, V_supply is the sum of V₀ and V₁ to reach the high adjustment resolution for a given bit of DAC and to avoid the possible oscillation. Setting V_supply depends on the real device. As illustrated the zener diode breaks down at 1.5V with safe operating range from 1.4V to 1.6V. Therefore can set Vo at 0.6V, with Vi having a range of operation from 0.1V to 0.2V range.

In another embodiment as shown in FIG. 4, an additional input to operational amplifier 110 may be an output from a NGU 15 from a different NGU. The NGU 15 is input to operational amplifier 110 through resistor 116. The addition of the input from NGU 15 adds a noise signal to V_supply which will ultimately add to the unpredictability of the noise output of zener diode 300.

The circuit of current probe 200 is shown in FIG. 5. Two p-type metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) 202 and 204 form a current mirror that mirrors the current of zener diode 300 and provides current to current monitor 400. Resistor 206 is the load of the noise generated by zener diode 300. Terminal a is connected to zener diode 300 and terminal b is connected to current monitor 400.

Current monitor 400 is shown in FIG. 6, wherein operational amplifier 404 and resistor 402 form a trans-impedance amplifier, which converts the input current to the output voltage V₂. V_(b) is the positive input bias voltage, which sets a positive bias output voltage of V₂. The output voltage V₂ decreases with increasing sink current from current probe 200. Voltage comparators 406 and 408 have predefined threshold voltages V_(th1) and V_(th2) and also receive V₂ as input. AND gates 410 and 412 receive outputs c and d from voltage comparators 406 and 408 respectively. V_(th1) is the corresponding threshold voltage of the upper limit of the avalanche current. When the avalanche current is increased, the trans-impedance amplifier output voltage V₂ becomes lower than V_(th1), and the output of voltage comparator 406 becomes logic high. Consequently, AND gate 410 outputs the clock pulse p− to reduce the voltage V_supply in order to protect the zener diode 300 from damage. V_(th2) is the corresponding threshold voltage of the lower limit of the avalanche current when the avalanche current is decreased, V₂ becomes higher than V_(th2). The output of voltage comparator 408 becomes logic high and AND gate 412 outputs the clock pulse p+ to increase the voltage V_supply in order to keep zener diode 300 within the avalanche condition. When V₂ is between V_(th1) and V_(th2), there is no pulse from either AND gates 410 or 412, and thus V_supply stays unchanged. Vb is usually selected as the half value of the power supply voltage of 404, 406, 408. The operation of current monitor 400 is shown in Table 1 below:

TABLE 1   V_(th1) < V_(th2) Case 1: V₁ < V_(th1)  

 c=H  

 p-  

 decrease V_supply Case 2: V₁ > V_(th2)  

 d=H  

 p+  

 increase V_supply Case 3: V_(th1) < V₁ < V_(th2)  

 c=L & d=L  

 V_supply no change

FIG. 7 illustrates a first embodiment of a stochastic noise amplification apparatus 700 to increase the noise source according to aspects of the present invention. Stochastic noise amplification apparatus 700 receives an input from two NGU's 10 and 20. The two inputs are provided to operational amplifier 710. NGU 10 may be input into the positive input of operational amplifier 710. NGU 20 may be input into the negative input of operational amplifier 710. The resulting noise signal through this single-stage differential amplification will be more non-deterministic, sporadic, and categorically not intermittent (i.e. random). The inventors have determined that the addition of two NGU signals increased the randomness of the signal by the square root two (√{square root over (2)}=1.414) times.

FIG. 8 illustrates a three-stage differential amplification as an example of a second embodiment of a stochastic noise amplification apparatus 800 to further increase the noise source according to aspects of the present invention. The inputs to apparatus 800 are eight NGU inputs from NGU's 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80. NGU 10 may be input into the positive input of operational amplifier 810. NGU 20 may be input into the negative input of operational amplifier 810. NGU 30 may be input into the positive input of operational amplifier 820. NGU 40 may be input into the negative input of operational amplifier 820. NGU 50 may be input into the positive input of operational amplifier 830. NGU 60 may be input into the negative input of operational amplifier 830. NGU 70 may be input into the positive input of operational amplifier 840. NGU 80 may be input into the negative input of operational amplifier 840.

The output of operational amplifier 810 may be input into the positive input of operational amplifier 850. The output of operational amplifier 820 may be input into the negative input of operational amplifier 850. The output of operational amplifier 830 may be input into the positive input of operational amplifier 860. The output of operational amplifier 840 may be input into the negative input of operational amplifier 860. The output of operational amplifier 850 may be input into the positive input of operational amplifier 870. The output of operational amplifier 860 may be input into the negative input of operational amplifier 870. Finally the output of amplifier 870 incorporates the noise signal from each of the NGU inputs. The resultant noise signal through this exemplary three-stage differential amplification is increased by a factor of 2.8 ((√{square root over (2)})³=1.414³) from the noise signal through a single NGU, and the power of the noise signal is increased by a factor of 8 (2³) from that through a single NGU. Furthermore, this embodiment can be generalized to include an N-stage differential amplification, where the resultant noise signal through an N-stage differential amplification is increased by a factor of (√{square root over (2)})^(N)=1.414^(N) compared with a single NGU, and its power is increased by a factor of 2^(N).

The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration, but are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain the principles of the embodiments, the practical application or technical improvement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A noise generating apparatus comprising: a zener diode located on a substrate; a voltage source located on the substrate to provide a supply voltage; a current probe for receiving the supply voltage and providing a voltage to the zener diode, the current probe mirroring the current through the zener diode; and a current monitor located on the substrate to monitor current through the zener diode and adjust the supply voltage provided by the voltage source to maintain the zener diode in an avalanche zone close to a breakdown condition, the current monitor operable to receive the mirrored current from the current probe, the current monitor comprising a trans-impedance amplifier to monitor the current from the current probe and provide an output voltage, wherein the current monitor provides a decrement signal to the voltage source when the output voltage is below a first zener threshold voltage, and an increment signal to the voltage source when the output voltage is above a second zener threshold voltage.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the zener diode is a heavily doped pn junction zener diode.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the voltage source comprises a counter and a digital to analog converter, wherein the digital to analog converter provides an adjustable voltage to an amplifier, the amplifier providing the supply voltage.
 4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the zener diode comprises a multi-finger structure.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the avalanche zone is around 1.5 volts.
 6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein a noise signal is provided to the amplifier in the voltage source. 